Mac Manu to observe Germany polls

Mr Peter Mac Manu of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be part of the Election Observer Mission team of the International Democratic Union (IDU) to observe Germany's 2017 general election scheduled for 24 September 2017.

A statement released by the Secretary-General of DUA Charles Owiredu, said Mr. Mac Manu, who is the Honorary Chairman of the Democratic Union of Africa (DUA), an affiliate of IDU, “will observe some of the rallies and also have firsthand experience on how the Germans’ conduct their political rallies in recent times. Further, Mr. Mac Manu would have the opportunity to tour some polling stations across some of the 299 voting districts to observe voting conduct in Munich voting district.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel is running for reelection.

Below is DUA’s full statement

Mac Manu to observe German 2017 general election

Peter Mac Manu, Honorary Chairman of the Democratic Union of Africa (DUA), an affiliate of the International Democratic Union (IDU), joins, the Election Observer Mission of IDU to witness the Germany’s elections to the Bundestag scheduled for Sunday, 24th September 2017. Mr. Mac Manu is also former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its 2016 National Campaign Manager for Ghana’s Presidential/ Parliamentary elections.

Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel is seeking re-election for the 4th time leading the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the CSU in a coalition with Martin Schulz of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as her main opponent.

Other parties include the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the left’s Alternative for German (AfD) which is led by Sahra Wagenknecht and Dietmar Bartsch.

The elections are taking place in all the 299 voting districts across the country. The German’s electoral architecture is transparent and analog – voters are only allowed to vote with pen and paper and not with digital voting machines. All counting takes place by hand in the 70,000 or so voting locations and counting is open to the public.

Hon Peter Mac Manu will observe some of the rallies and also have firsthand experience on how the Germans’ conduct their political rallies in recent times. Further, Mr. Mac Manu would have the opportunity to tour some polling stations across some of the 299 voting districts to observe voting conduct in Munich voting district.

Final results of the German elections are expected to be announced by midnight of Sunday, 24th September 2017. The party or the coalition bloc that win the most seats in the Bundestag will have the mandate to form government.

It is our hope that lessons learnt from the observation will help shape and increase our understanding of campaigning, electoral processes and benefit Ghana’s electoral reforms.

…Signed…
Hon Charles Owiredu
Secretary General
DUA